I admit it, I have a deep personal commitment to black pepper ... well, all pepper really, but especially black. I put it on and in everything - I even like it in sweet things sometimes. I cannot and will not eat any soup without black pepper and I prefer it freshly ground. Needless to say, pepper mills are important to me. And, sadly, I have yet to find one I truly love.Above you can see my (over-exposed) current pepper mills. Neither is exactly right. The small one is part of a salt and pepper set - and really, its kind of useless. It needs to be refilled every five minutes. I bought it because I was enticed by the brushed stainless steel exterior. I like shiny things! Its cute, but very high maintenance. (Not unlike myself.) On the plus side, it does a great job offering a variety of textures. It can grind the pepper very fine and also works well for course grinding. That's essential. If only it were larger, I might have found my ideal ... but, no.
On the right is my sexy Peugeot mill. I bought it when I finally got tired of filling the little guy. I adore the color and its nicely sized - it has yet to need refilling - but the grind is somewhat disappointing. For finely ground pepper its outstanding; perfect for use at table. As for course grinds, well its largely ineffective. Between the two, I'm covered, but the search continues.
The little guy is filled with standard black pepper and the Peugeot is currently full of an interesting mix: Swissmar's Connoisseur Peppercorn Blend which contains black, white, green and pink peppercorns from India, Brazil and Madagascar. I like it! Typically, I'm not a fan of pink peppercorns, but there are very few in this mix and their flavor doesn't stand out. The mixture is warm and spicy and perfect for at table finishing.
I'm happy with the peppercorn mix, but still on the hunt for my ideal pepper mill. Do you have a favorite that does it all? Shout it out in the comments and help a spicy Diva out!
Lastly, have you guessed my second confession? Perhaps you've been tipped off by my lack of response in the comments or on your own blog? Indeed, I am away from keyboard. I will respond to everything when I return and will be back to regular cooking and posting next Monday. Meanwhile, I've got some posts in the queue that are sure to keep you entertained. They will appear throughout the rest of this week, so stay tuned.
Have a great week and make it Divalicious!
To quote the Diva:
ReplyDelete"I like shiny things! Its cute, but very high maintenance. (Not unlike myself.) On the plus side, it does a great job offering a variety of textures." You might have added that not unlike yourself bit to the second part as well. You do shine; have a variety of 'textures' to the delight (or dismay?) of all who know you and many have commented that you do a great job on your blog...and I think overall the delights outweigh the dismays. Way to go, Diva! I look forward to checking you out daily now..it's part of my routine.
my favorite pepper mill has to be the Graviti pepper mill. I know it is a cheat's pepper mill...but the grind is fantastic. Williams-Sonoma carries it if you want to check it out.
ReplyDeleteWhen you get back to your keyboard...stop by my blog. There is something there for you!
Still searching for that perfect pepper mill. I'm currently using a battery operated one that is pretty good but then again I will throw a bunch in a coffee grinder and use from there!
ReplyDeleteI'll keep checking back for others suggestions.
Deb
Very funny, and apt, analogy Pixelgal - you best of all know that much like the texture of pepper, I can add a touch of warmth or bring the fire! LOL and thanks! :)
ReplyDeleteMichele - Thanks for both the Graviti tip and the lovely award. You are a treasure! I'll post up the award later in the week but wanted to thank you now. You rock, girl!
Deb - you remind me that I keep meaning to buy and extra coffee grinder for spice grinding use. Must get on that!